Her Quiet Spot In Mall Led To A Deadly Attack

August 3, 1985|By Michael Connelly, Staff Writer

Kathryn McGaughin was a regular shopper at the Lauderhill Mall, and the diminutive, 80-year-old woman with white hair and glasses knew the best parking lot -- where you could find spaces near the entrance any time of the day -- was behind the mall.

Often when she parked there, she would take only the money she would need for shopping out of her purse so she could leave the purse safely locked in her white Mercury Comet.

But on Thursday morning she took her purse with her when she went into the drugstore at the mall to buy some personal items. And when she was done and walked back out to the back lot, somebody was waiting.

McGaughin was found about 11 a.m., lying next to her 13-year-old car in a pool of blood. Her neck was broken, her skull was fractured and the bones of her face were crushed. Her purse was gone.

McGaughin, on life support equipment at Plantation General Hospital, is not expected to survive the attack, authorities said.

``She got as far as putting the keys in her trunk,`` said Broward Sheriff`s Detective Nick Argentine. ``She was attacked and severely beaten.

``The things she bought were sitting in a bag on top of the trunk when she was found.``

Investigators said the daylight assault, the second in the area in a month, was senseless.

``She suffered no defensive wounds -- there were no signs of a fight,`` said Sgt. Ralph Hernandez, supervisor of the homicide unit. ``It was senseless. We are talking about a little old lady being taken advantage of.``

Argentine said McGaughin, who has lived for 14 years in an apartment in the 4700 block of Northwest 24th Court, Lauderdale Lakes, was struck repeatedly with a blunt object. Her face might have been slammed onto the asphalt.

``We don`t know why such a brutal beating would be given to such an innocent old lady,`` Argentine said. ``The severity of the beating is very unusual.``

Investigators have few clues to a suspect or suspects in the attack at the mall on State Road 7 just north of Sunrise Boulevard.

At the time of the attack, there were several cars parked in the back lot, which is overlooked by several condominiums. The sheriff`s office has asked anyone who was at or near the mall and may have seen the attack or someone lingering in the back lot to call detectives at 765-8900. Anonymous information can be given by calling 765-TIPS, where a reward is available for information leading to an arrest.

``The back lot is a high activity area and we think someone should have seen something,`` said Argentine.

McGaughin, who has no family and has lived in Broward for 20 years after moving from Queens, New York, was found by two employees at Costco Wholesale who parked in the back lot and were walking into the mall to go to work.

Detectives said an extensive search of the area failed to find the victim`s discarded purse.

McGaughin`s friends were stunned by the news of the attack and the injuries the woman sustained.

``This was so brutal. Why did they have to hurt her so badly for just a purse?`` said one of McGaughin`s friends who asked not be identified. ``Nobody deserves that. This is so tragic. She is such a kind woman. It really makes me think, `What is this world coming to?` ``

Detectives said the assault was being compared to the assault of Norma Marot, 57, who was beaten, robbed and run over by two attackers July 6.

She had been driving home from church and was one block from her Lauderhill home when two men in a car tapped the rear end of her car. When she pulled over to look for damage, one of the men pulled her out of her car and attacked and robbed her.

When a neighbor tried to break up the assault, the assailants fled, taking both cars. Marot was on her knees in the street, stunned by the attack, when the men ran her down with their car, breaking her legs, shoulders and several other bones.

``That happened about a mile from the mall. Right now it is uncertain whether there is a connection,`` Argentine said.